"No-Billag" initiative endangers media diversity in mountain regions
The Swiss Working Group for Mountain Regions (SAB) is expressly opposed to the No Billag initiative. The association is convinced that this initiative threatens media diversity in the mountain regions.
If the initiative were to come to fruition, it would mean "the death of the 34 regional radio and television stations. This was the conclusion of a conference held by the SAB on this topic in Lucerne on Friday.
These broadcasters are existentially dependent on their shares from the fee income, it says in the Communiqué of the SAB continues. If this share were eliminated, most of the regional radio and television stations would have to cease operations.
This is because the loss of revenue could not be compensated for by additional income from the advertising market, which is shrinking sharply anyway. The consequence would be a "massive decrease in media diversity, especially in mountain regions."
The No Billag initiative, which calls for the abolition of fees for the SRG, will be put to the people on March 4, 2018. Last week, the Federal Council announced that it would reduce the reception fee from 2019 anyway, from CHF 451 today to CHF 365 a year. However, in the future, all households will pay the fee, regardless of whether they have receivers or not. (SDA)
